


The Truth By Any Means

by Northern_Lady



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: A Kiss, Dancing, F/M, Flirting, Hogwarts, Mischief, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Spy - Freeform, Time Travel, Understanding, Young Minerva McGonagall, hints of romance, unanswered questions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 04:08:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19456045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Northern_Lady/pseuds/Northern_Lady
Summary: Loki time travels to Hogwarts past. Minerva doesn't trust him. Loki makes a proposal to earn her trust.





	1. Chapter 1

Loki had been uncertain what would happen when he picked up the tesseract that day when he had been defeated by the Avengers. He had known that the object had great power on its own but had touched it with magic in hopes that he could disappear to someplace safe. The power with which the tesseract transported him away felt not unlike the pull of the bifrost. In moments he found himself standing in a stone building. There were no signs of any Avengers or members of SHIELD anywhere in the vicinity. No modern Midgardian technology either, only stone hallways and old portraits. He put the tesseract away, hidden in his pocket with the use of a spell, and he made his way down the long hall.

As he made his way around a corner he found an open area and several staircases. Numerous school children ran about the open area. Most were wearing robes and carrying books. It took but a few moments of observation to learn that these children were practicing magic. They had wands and conducted simple spells to levitate objects as part of their games. He wondered if he were still on Midgard at all. The people of earth hadn’t practiced magic for more than a thousand years and they had never been known to have this level of expertise that he was aware of. A few of the school children unfastened their robes due to the warmth of the day and he could not tell by their clothes what time period he had found himself in. The girls wore dresses, the boys wore pants and shirts with buttons and collars. There was no telling time the time period by that. Not without a better sense of what was fashionable and when. He was not so daft as to walk up to someone and ask them where and when he had arrived either. He would have to wait until that information revealed itself. In the meantime, he needed a story for his presence there. 

It took only a few minutes more for one of the young people to run off and tell an adult that a stranger was wandering in their midst. A young woman wearing a tall black pointed hat, a long gray skirt, paired with a white shirt, and matching gray button-up vest, approached him looking both offended and curious at once. She marched up to him and pointed a wand at him. 

“Who are you Sir and how did you get into Hogwarts?” She asked him in an accent he recognized as a Midgardian one, Scottish to be exact. 

“I..um...I fear I was struck on the head rather recently. I don’t know the answer to that question any more than you do.” he tried the first lie that came into his head and one that wouldn’t require a backstory with details to remember. “What is this place?” 

“This is a school. You were seen apparating into a school where it is impossible to do so. If you expect us to believe a story like that you must think the lot of us are fools. What dark magic brought you?” The young woman asked. Loki guessed she must be a teacher at this unusual school. 

“I know little about dark magic and I didn’t apparate. I merely wandered in…” he said, not wanting to make an enemy of himself in an unknown place. 

“Young Newt here is no liar,” she said of the lad to her left who stood watching with wide eyes. “If he saw you apparate here then I trust that’s what happened. I’ll have no more of your lies. Step aside children. This stranger is coming with me to speak to the headmaster.” 

The school children cleared a path but Loki hesitated to move. All it would take would be taking out the tesseract and using it again to escape this place. He didn’t have to go with this strange teacher to meet the headmaster. He didn’t have to explain anything. And yet he could not deny that he was curious about this school where magic was practiced so openly. 

The school mistress had started to leave but she turned back when Loki failed to follow her. “Well don’t just stand there with your mouth agape. You’re likely to get flies in it. Come along!” 

This time Loki followed her down a series of hallways and staircases that seemed to move. He eventually found himself in an office standing before a bearded man dressed in a smart gray suit, 

“I am sorry to disturb you Albus but this man was seen apparating into Hogwarts,” she said, clearly disturbed by the very notion. 

Albus got up from his chair and came around to the front of the desk, leaning against it like a seat as he looked Loki over with curiosity. 

“What is your name Sir?” Albus asked. 

“He says he doesn’t remember,” the woman spoke up. “That he struck his head and has forgotten.” 

“And do we have good cause to disbelieve him, Minerva?” Albus asked kindly. 

“He is full of mischief, this one. I have been a teacher long enough to know what it looks like.” 

“That may well be but it would not be fair to punish a student before they had actually misbehaved. I would think the same goes for this stranger. Being mischievous does not make him an enemy. Even so, I trust your judgement. What would you have me ask him?” Albus asked her, leaving the matter in her hands for some odd reason. 

“Not me,” Minerva said with a shake of her head. “Let the sorting hat do the asking.” 

Albus looked a little disturbed by her suggestion. “The sorting hat is not for legilimency.” 

Minerva crossed her arms. “It is impossible to apparate into Hogwarts. Anyone who can do that is up to no good. We need to know why.”

Albus went to a table at the corner of the room and picked up a ragged looking old hat. “This hat might be able to help you remember what you have lost and tell us more of who you are.” 

Loki took the hat in his hands but did not put it on. “And if it finds something you do not like?” 

“We will leave that to the ministry of magic,” Albus said. 

Minerva uncrossed her arms. “The ministry can not be trusted…” 

“I know you have your reasons for your mistrust but the ministry will deal with him if need be. Hogwarts is not equipped to be a justice system.” Albus told her and turned to Loki. “If you would put on the hat sir, I promise you that we mean you no more harm than you mean us.” 

Mostly due to his own curiosity, Loki slipped the hat onto his head. “Hmm...this one is very difficult,” the hat spoke aloud. “The curiosity of a Ravenclaw...such a bright mind...but also so much ambition. He could be great. He is on his way to greatness. With that curiosity he could be Ravenclaw...and yet he is not...He is Slytherin!” 

“Slytherin,” Minerva muttered. “I told you he was up to no good.” 

Albus shook his head. “Hat, can you tell us anything else about him?” he seemed unsure if the hat would even answer. 

“He is very angry,” the hat said. “He has reason to be angry. There was a great hurt...and someone is looking for him. He does not wish to be found.” 

“That’s all?” Albus asked. 

Loki took the hat from his head before it could reveal more. 

“You do remember,” Minerva said. “Or else you would have left that hat on just now.” 

“I am inclined to agree,” Albus said. “However, we are not inclined to be rude to strangers. Tell us who you are and how you came to be here and perhaps we can be hospitable.” 

Loki let out a sigh. “I came here with the use of a powerful object which I do not have the expertise to wield.” He took the tesseract from his pocket into the air. “I do know my name but I do not know where I am or even what year it is. This object took me far from where I was to...I know not where.” 

“It’s 1911 and this is Scotland.” Minerva said as she looked at the object in his hand. “What in heaven’s name is that?” 

“What is your name?” Albus asked, seemingly having more interest in knowing that than in knowing about the tesseract. 

“It’s Loki.” 

“I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This is Minerva McGonagall, she teaches Transfiguration.” 

Loki nodded, making the tesseract disappear once again. “Pleased to meet you.” 

“Whether we are pleased to meet you remains to be seen,” Minerva spoke up. 

Albus gave her a scolding look. Then he turned back to Loki. “My colleague has a valid point. What can you tell us about how you came to obtain a mystical object so powerful that you can get through Horwart’s defenses?” 

Loki considered his answer a moment. He obviously couldn’t tell them that he stole it escaping punishment for his crimes yet if he told too bold a lie these people had enough magic that they might have ways of discovering the truth. He was likely safest telling something similar to the truth. 

“It’s called the tesseract. I was sent to retrieve it by my...employer, a man more powerful than I could ever hope to be. I fear my employer’s intentions were not peaceful by any means but I did manage to evade him and all those who pursue the use of the tesseract by coming here. Unless you plan to use it for evil as well?” Loki said, hoping that this would have the desired effect. 

Albus looked doubtful as he stood leaning against his desk, arms crossed thoughtfully. He uncrossed his arms and turned to Minerva. “I think we need a word alone. If our guest wouldn’t mind stepping outside the door a moment?” 

“As you wish,” Loki did as they asked, thankful that they had no idea his ability to hear was far better than theirs. 

“We need to send for the ministry to sort this out,” Albus said, as soon as Loki was gone. 

“The ministry will be about as much use as a glass cricket bat. Albus, I beg you, don’t contact them just yet,” Minerva asked of him. 

“Now you were the one who brought him to me insistent that he was up to no good. Have you changed your mind on that account?” 

“Not in the slightest. He is a Slytherin and he is in possession of a powerful bit of magic. I doubt that he is immune to the temptations of such an object. Few men would be. We need to know more about where he came from and what he is doing here before the ministry gets wind of it and is corrupted by some new dark magic.” 

“I know you do not trust the ministry Minerva but…this is a school. He can’t just stay here indefinitely. If you want to investigate this further what would you have me do with him?” 

“The last thing I want is to put these children in danger,” she said thoughtfully. 

“You won’t. You will take him to Hogsmeade for a drink and learn what you can from him there, away from the students,” Albus said. 

“A what?” Minerva said in protest. 

“A drink. Tell him you wish to show him the village, to welcome him to the community if he wishes to stay. You need only take him for a walk and convince him to stay at the Three Broomsticks for the time being and we can keep an eye on him from there for a few days at most. If I’m still not convinced that he is innocent then I will contact the ministry then.” 

“That is all well and good but why must I do it? You could as easily show him the village as I could,” she argued. 

“I could, but I don’t have a woman’s charm.” 

“I have precious few charms of my own and I’ll be damned if I am going to use them on the likes of him.” 

“If you’re frightened to go alone I can go with you but I think he will be more forthcoming to a lady alone than if I were there. Besides, you will be in a public space the entire time.” 

“Frightened? I’d as soon be frightened of a housefly. I simply dislike the falseness of your proposal. I don’t like any of this.” 

“If that’s how you feel then I will contact the ministry within the hour,” Albus said. 

“Fine, I’ll do it. I’ll walk with him to the village and have this drink you spoke of,” Minerva said with a sigh. 

“Good. See if you can find out what that thing he is carrying can really do?” 

“I will do my best,” she agreed. 

Moments later Minerva stepped outside the door where Loki waited. 

“Well, what do you plan to do with me?” Loki asked her, just to see how she would react. 

“It’s not been decided yet. And one would assume that you have yet to decide if you plan to stay here for any length of time,” she said. “I can show you our village if it helps make your decision any easier.” 

“That would be much appreciated,” Loki said and he took her arm as any good escort would. 

For a moment, a very brief moment, Minerva looked up at him with a look that made him think she might either slap him or hex him if she had the chance. She quickly schooled her features though and led the way out of the school and onto the grounds.


	2. Chapter 2

Before they had even left the castle grounds, or perhaps the school grounds, Minerva had to stop twice and speak to students about their behavior. Her third stop on their walk occurred when a young student fell and cut his arm. She helped him up and performed a healing spell. 

“It seems that you are a dedicated teacher,” Loki commented as she sent the boy away. 

“Shouldn’t I be?” 

“I only meant that at first you seemed bent on discipline but now I see there is a little compassion in you as well. Perhaps there is hope for me.” 

“If you think that I won’t report your misdeeds to the ministry of magic, should you be caught doing any, you would be mistaken,” Minerva told him firmly.

“I have a feeling that your report would depend very much on what the misdeed actually was. If I only did a few harmless tricks I would remain out of your notice. Am I correct?” he said with a hint of a smile. 

Minerva stopped walking. “See, I knew you were full of mischief.” 

“Only because you have a little mischief within yourself. Perhaps it is easier to pretend it doesn’t exist but it is there all the same.” 

“Oh you think so, do you?” 

“Indeed I do. You teach transfiguration. What better mischief is there than to turn one thing into another?” 

“Transfiguration is a useful practical skill,” she argued. 

“And an entertaining one as well,” Loki countered. 

“I suppose it can be that, sometimes,” Minerva admitted. “But entertainment is not the primary purpose.” 

“So that’s why you chose to teach the subject, for practical reasons?” 

“It was not as simple as that,” Minerva told him truthfully. “I left a job I did not like at the ministry of magic and took the only opening Hogwarts had which was teaching Transfiguration. I have no regrets in coming here. You on the other hand might find that you regret it or you might learn to like this place.” she stopped at the far end of the village to give Loki time to look it over. 

“What a strange place…” Loki said as he read over the shop names. He still wasn’t sure if he liked this place or wanted to stay. The tesseract could very likely help him leave but he had no way of knowing how it actually worked, where it would take him, or if his brother and SHIELD had a means of tracing where he had gone. It was simply too soon to do anything but stay here until he learned more. If he were going to stay here, he needed to make sure that the people liked him enough to be his allies so when Minerva asked him to step into the Inn for a drink he readily accepted. 

The two of them took a table in a quiet corner she began to ask about his history. He gave her the truth in a vague sense of the word. He told her he came from a place where his father was the ruler, that he had been adopted from among his father’s enemies, that he had taken work with the aforementioned employer as a means to get revenge on his adopted father and brother, a plot he now regretted. He did not tell her he came from the future or that he had killed many people invading future earth. 

Minerva had listened to his story intently and when prompted gave a story of her own albeit a brief one of growing up in a family and town where magic was meant to be kept secret. There was more to her story that she did not tell, he could see she was holding back but he did not press her for details. 

“Are you planning to stay here at the Inn for the night?” Minerva asked at the end of their second drink. 

“This is where Albus wanted me to stay, is it not?” he asked, half a grin on his face. 

Her eyes widened. “How much did you overhear?” 

“Enough to know that you’re not doing a very good job. If I hadn’t overheard I would have no idea you were meant to charm me into staying,” he said, wondering with great amusement if she would slap him or say something scathing or simply get up and leave. He was supposed to be nice to these people but he could not resist the temptation to antagonize this woman just a little. 

“That’s because I don’t want you to stay.” 

He hadn’t been expecting that. “Why? Because I am dangerous?” 

“Perhaps. Or perhaps simply because you annoy me.” 

“I annoy you? I’ll have you know, I am a prince where I come from. No one there would dare call me annoying.” He told her, though it wasn’t strictly true. Thor and Sif and the Warriors three had never hesitated to tell him they were tired of his tricks. 

“That doesn’t make it untrue. Besides, we are not where you come from.” 

“What exactly have I done that was an annoyance to you? I have been very courteous the entire time…” Loki said, a little confused and irritated. 

“You eavesdropped on Albus and I for one,” she said, meeting his gaze and holding it. 

For a moment he thought she truly was angry and was going to go suggest that Albus contact this Ministry of Magic she disliked so much. Then he saw it, the briefest hint of a twinkle in her eye and a smile at the corners of her lips. She didn’t mean a word of it. He had seemingly won her over after all. 

“Yes well, that was my bit of mischief for the day. Yours seems to be telling lies about being annoyed with people you actually like.” 

“That would be stretching the truth quite a bit, don’t you think?” 

He shook his head and took another sip of this strange mead that had been brought to him. “Not so much. I usually know when people like me.” 

“I have done nothing to indicate any such thing,” she protested. 

“You have. You have refrained from slapping me or hexing me this entire time. You say you are annoyed by me but I think you are amused in much the same way I am amused by you.” 

“I fail to see how I have done anything that is amusing,” Minerva said very seriously. 

“Then you fail to see where your true charms actually lie,” Loki said. 

“What on earth is that supposed to mean?” She huffed. 

“It means that had you wanted to convince me to stay, as your Headmaster asked, you could have done it if you had actually tried.” 

Minerva rolled her eyes at him. “Flattery to evade answering my questions will not make me forget that I asked them.” 

“I imagine not. Does flattery even work on you at all?” He said. 

She glared at him a moment before giving her reply. “I am not immune to the occasional flattering remark or attention. However, my purpose here today is not meant to be frivolous.” 

Loki shrugged. “That may be, but who says you can’t do both? All work and no play is just dull, don’t you think?” 

Minerva regarded him with confusion. “Then what are you proposing?” 

“See that posting on the wall over there?” Loki nodded towards a paper tacked on the wall near the entrance. 

“Public Dance, Hogwarts Great Hall, Friday 8PM,” Minerva read aloud, she turned to Loki looking slightly concerned. “That’s tomorrow.” 

‘Good. Then you will do the honor of attending with me, and I will tell you whatever it is you wish to know.” 

“Anything I wish to know? Anything at all?” She asked, eyebrow raised. “How am I to know you speak the truth?” 

“If you are as good at recognizing mischief as you claim to be, you will know the truth when you hear it.” 

“I am a school teacher, not a seer,” she protested. 

“What other alternatives do you have? I can leave this village tonight and give you no further answers to your questions or you could try to hand me over to your ministry or you can simply attend a dance with a man who finds you intriguing. It’s your choice.” 

“Intriguing my foot…” She muttered. “Fine, I will attend this dance, and you will answer every question I put to you.” 

“Agreed,” Loki said, a small smile on his face as Minerva got up to leave him. 

She went to the counter and paid for her own drinks before leaving him alone in the Inn.


	3. Chapter 3

Minerva sat in her office grading papers with the door wide open when Albus wandered in to speak to her. 

“Did you learn anything from our new friend yesterday?” he asked, taking a chair across from her. 

Minerva shook her head. “Very little as of yet. He claims he is a prince where he comes from. I am almost inclined to believe it is the truth. He seems well educated and well mannered if not for being a little forward.” 

“Forward? Minerva, if he is not appropriate with you…” Albus began. 

“Nothing like that. He invited me to the public dance tonight. I agreed to go in exchange for more answers to any questions I pose to him.” 

Albus smiled a little. “It took you a rather short time to accomplish that. And you said you had precious few charms.” 

“There’s no need to gloat Albus. I am still doubtful that he will tell me anything at all or that what he does tell me will contain much truth.” 

“Yet you are determined to try all the same,” Albus said, it wasn’t a question. “If you think he can not be trusted, if you think that the tesseract is so dangerous, why put yourself through all this trouble?” 

“Because he is a broken man Albus. The hat said he was hurting and angry but he is also afraid of something. I haven’t the heart to turn someone like that over to the ministry to be interrogated. Not yet. Not until I know more.” 

“That is very noble of you. I have been thinking though about Loki’s employer, a man he claims is very powerful and wants the tesseract for evil. What if he comes here looking for it?” Albus pointed out. 

“Well...without the having the tesseract, his employer can’t apparate into Hogwarts. No one can. I suppose whether Loki is to be trusted or not, Hogwarts is the safest place for him and for us.” 

“You said he seemed well educated. Do you think he could teach?” Albus asked. 

“You want a man you don’t quite trust teaching students?” Minerva asked. 

“It wouldn’t be the first time. We could cast some protective charms on him to keep a close watch and keep him from hurting anyone. However, it would fall to you to keep the closest watch of him. It seems he likes you.” 

“Apparently so,” Minerva said, “Goodness knows why.” 

“I know why. For the same reasons that you are one of my most trusted friends. You are a wise woman and an excellent witch, strong enough to strike down anyone who would hurt you and yet compassionate enough to know when to show mercy. How could he not like you?” 

“Thank you Albus,” she said, clearly affected by his words. “I really should go get ready for the dance,” she got to her feet and left the room, wiping away the moisture around her eyes as she went. 

“Minerva?” Albus called after her. “Wear the purple dress.” 

***

Loki dressed for the dance in clothes much more befitting the time period. He wore a black suit with a dark green collared shirt and a gold pocket watch chain hung from the pocket. 

Minerva came to him in the great hall wearing a lavender gown that bared her shoulders and was very nearly open at the back. 

“You look lovely,” Loki told her quite honestly. 

“Thank you. You look well yourself. The green is a good color.” 

The music began and he took her hand and brought her out onto the dance floor. Minerva was strangely quiet as she danced with him. She seemed to be deep in thought. 

“Is something on your mind?” Loki asked her, halfway through the song. 

“Forgive me. My thoughts were elsewhere,” she said, evasively. 

“Yes, I was aware of that. Something saddens you. Do feel free to share.” 

“It was only that Albus paid me a compliment which I was not ready to hear from him,” she said. “It’s nothing, really.” 

“You care for him?” 

Minerva shook her head. “Albus is a dear friend. I cared for someone else a few years back, I suppose I still do, but he had no magic so I refused his marriage proposal and took a job with the ministry instead. Albus said today that I am wise enough to know when to show mercy and I am afraid he is wrong about that.” 

“I doubt he is wrong,” Loki said kindly. 

Minerva looked up and met his eyes, realizing not for the first time that he had very nice eyes. “I know what you are doing here and it just might work. That’s why I know Albus is wrong.” 

“You don’t have to make any decisions about justice or mercy just yet, Only dance,” Loki told her. 

So they danced. They danced through multiple songs and enjoyed each other’s company. The both of them were good dancers and as the hour grew later and the songs came to an end, they found they were sad to have to stop dancing. 

“I suppose I owe you some answers now,” Loki said, still holding her close as the last song ended. 

She nodded reluctantly. “It’s dark, but we can walk the grounds for a while.” 

Loki kept a grip on her hand as they wandered outside into one of the many gardens. “What do you wish to know?” 

“That object you carry, the tesseract. Is it dangerous?” 

“It is. I don’t know the full scope of what it can do but I do know that it is very powerful and can be a means to travel anywhere.” 

“And before you came here, what did you use it for?” she asked him. 

“To open a portal to another world.” 

“Why?” she stopped walking and turned to face him, still not letting go of his hand. 

“To let in an army.” 

Minerva let go of his hand and took a step back. “How many people were killed by this army?” 

“I don’t know. I do that this all happens in another time, in the future. It’s not too late for me to undo what I have done.” 

Minerva stood thinking over his words for a moment of shock. “Is that something you wish, to undo your wrongs?” 

“Very much.” he said, sounding sincere. 

“What is to prevent you from making the same mistakes all over again?” 

“Hindsight, I suppose.” 

She looked doubtful at his words. “You said yourself that you do not know how to wield the tesseract. How will you return to your future and fix your mistakes then?” 

“I don’t know if I can. All I can do is try. In the meantime, while I learn about the tesseract, I should like to stay here. Will that be permitted or will you turn me over to your Ministry of Magic?” 

Minerva hesitated to form a reply. “Albus was prepared to allow you to stay for a time.” 

“But you are unsure that’s a wise choice?” 

“I have my doubts in spite of the fact that I have come to enjoy your company in two short days.” 

Loki smiled a little at her words. “Perhaps then, we should leave it at that. I should leave now and see where the tesseract takes me before I have the misfortune of disappointing you.” 

“I never said you should leave,” she said, feeling a twinge of worry that he might actually be going. 

“Why, are you going to miss me?” he asked. 

“I might,” Minerva admitted, unsure how it had come to this. 

“All the more reason this is for the best,” Loki opened his hand and made the tesseract appear. Minerva watched him with both awe and worry. She didn’t want him to go. Impulsively, Loki put an arm around her and kissed her briefly. He took a step back before disappearing out of sight. 

Stunned, Minerva stood alone in the garden and touched her hand to her lips. She gathered her thoughts and went back inside the school. She would have to tell Albus that Loki was gone. He would want details and she would give them to him but she would not tell him about the kiss. That would be her secret, always.


End file.
